Conjugative transfer by the virulence system of Legionella pneumophila.
Legionella pneumophila, the causative agent of Legionnaires' pneumonia, replicates within alveolar macrophages by preventing phagosome-lysosome fusion. Here, a large number of mutants called dot (defective for organelle trafficking) that were unable to replicate intracellularly because of an inability of the bacteria to alter the endocytic pathway of macrophages were isolated. The dot virulence genes encoded a large putative membrane complex that functioned as a secretion system that was able to transfer plasmid DNA from one cell to another.
Vogel
J P
JP
Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02111, USA.
Andrews
H L
HL
Wong
S K
SK
Isberg
R R
RR
D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D003227:Conjugation, Genetic; D004705:Endocytosis; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D006801:Humans; D016952:Legionella pneumophila / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D051907:Lysosomal Membrane Proteins; D008247:Lysosomes / Q000502:physiology; D016676:Macrophages, Alveolar / Q000382:microbiology*; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000032:analysis; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D010588:Phagosomes / Q000502:physiology; D010957:Plasmids; D017384:Sequence Deletion; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D014774:Virulence
D015703:Antigens, CD; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D051907:Lysosomal Membrane Proteins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins